The NFL has formally reinstated Calvin Ridley. The league announced on Monday that the receiver is allowed to play again after serving an indefinite suspension for violating the league’s gambling policy.
That means the Falcons picked up a draft pick. They traded the former first-round pick to Jacksonville near the 2022 NFL trade deadline in a complex deal that could pay dividends for Atlanta if Ridley plays well for the Jaguars.
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The first escalator was reached when Ridley was reinstated, according to NFL Network, locking in the Jags 2023 fifth-round pick for Atlanta. It would've been a sixth-round pick if he wasn't reinstated by a certain date.
The 2024 NFL Draft pick is conditional as well, per NFLN. It's currently a 2024 fourth-round pick, but it escalates to a third-round pick if Ridley hits playing-time markers and can be a second-round pick if he signs a contract extension with the Jaguars. Ridley is currently set to play the 2023 season on his fifth-year option, which remained static while he was suspended.
The Falcons are scheduled to play the Jaguars on the road this season.
